Dispenser for discharging liquids, and operating method therefor

Abstract

Dispenser with a reservoir for storing liquid, and a discharge opening through which the liquid can be dispensed. The dispenser includes a metering device for discharging a defined liquid quantity upon actuation of the dispenser. The metering device at the entry side is connected to the reservoir and at the exit side is connected to the discharge opening. The metering device includes a pre-metering chamber which via an infeed duct is connected to the reservoir, and a main metering chamber which via an intermediate duct is connected to the pre-metering chamber, and via a discharge duct is connected to the discharge opening. The pre-metering chamber and the main metering chamber each have one repositionable wall, the respective chamber volume being variable by repositioning the wall. The walls are operatively coupled such that a volumetric enlargement of the pre-metering chamber causes a volumetric reduction of the main metering chamber.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A dispenser for discharging liquids, comprising:
 a liquid reservoir for storing liquid prior to discharge; 
 a discharge opening through which liquid can be dispensed into an environment; 
 a metering device for discharging a defined liquid quantity as a reaction to an actuation of the dispenser, wherein the metering device at an entry side is connected to the liquid reservoir and at an exit side is connected to the discharge opening, 
 the metering device including:
 a pre-metering chamber which by way of an infeed duct is connected to the liquid reservoir; and 
 a main metering chamber which by way of an intermediate duct is connected to the pre-metering chamber and by way of a discharge duct is connected to the discharge opening; and, 
 the pre-metering chamber and the main metering chamber having in each case one repositionable wall, the respective chamber volume being variable by the repositioning of said repositionable wall, and 
 the repositionable walls of the pre-metering chamber and of the main metering chamber being operatively coupled in such a manner that a volumetric enlargement of the pre-metering chamber causes a volumetric reduction of the main metering chamber; 
 
 an intermediate valve provided in the intermediate duct which in a closed state prevents, and in an opened state enables, inflow of liquid from the pre-metering chamber into the main metering chamber; and 
 an infeed valve provided in the infeed duct which in a closed state prevents, and in an opened state enables, inflow of liquid from the liquid reservoir into the pre-metering chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 1 ,
 further including a spring device by way of which the operatively coupled repositionable walls of the pre-metering chamber and of the main metering chamber are permanently impinged with a force in an effective direction of a volumetric reduction of the pre-metering chamber and a volumetric enlargement of the main metering chamber. 
 
     
     
       3. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 1 , further including
 an actuation handle operatively connected to at least one of the infeed valve or the intermediate valve for controlling the infeed valve and/or the intermediate valve. 
 
     
     
       4. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the actuation handle acts mechanically on the infeed valve or the intermediate valve so that control of the respective valve is enabled irrespectively of a liquid pressure prevailing in the dispenser. 
 
     
     
       5. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 1 ,
 further including an actuation handle operatively connected to both the infeed valve and the intermediate valve for controlling the infeed valve and the intermediate valve, 
 wherein the operative connections between the actuation handle and the infeed valve and the actuation handle and the intermediate valve are specified such that the intermediate valve is closed and the infeed valve is opened by actuating the actuation handle. 
 
     
     
       6. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the operative connections between the actuation handle and the infeed valve and the actuation handle and the intermediate valve are specified such that the intermediate valve is initially closed by actuating the actuation handle, and the infeed valve is opened by the subsequent, continuing, actuation of the actuation handle. 
 
     
     
       7. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the intermediate valve has a valve seat and a valve body movable in relation thereto, wherein for controlling said valve body by the actuation handle the dispenser further includes a first control portion fixedly connected to the actuation handle and, the first control portion pressing the valve body against the valve seat when the actuation handle is actuated, 
 and a second control portion for actuating the infeed valve, said second control portion being disposed locationally fixed in relation to the valve seat of the intermediate valve such that, after closing of the intermediate valve, the second control portion for opening the infeed valve is repositionable by the actuation handle. 
 
     
     
       8. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 1 ,
 further including an outlet valve provided between the main metering chamber and the discharge opening, wherein positive pressure in the main metering chamber keeps the outlet valve in a closed state, and 
 the outlet valve can be forcibly opened by actuating the dispenser. 
 
     
     
       9. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the repositionable walls of the pre-metering chamber and of the main metering chamber are configured as displaceable walls which are mutually locationally fixed and form a common wall unit. 
 
     
     
       10. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the repositionable walls of the pre-metering chamber and of the main metering chamber are of identical size such that a volumetric reduction of the pre-metering chamber by repositioning the wall unit causes to the same extent a volumetric enlargement of the main metering chamber. 
 
     
     
       11. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the repositionable wall of the pre-metering chamber is smaller than the repositionable wall of the main metering chamber such that a volumetric reduction of the pre-metering chamber by repositioning the wall unit causes to a greater extent a volumetric enlargement of the main metering chamber; or 
 the repositionable wall of the pre-metering chamber is larger than the repositionable wall of the main metering chamber such that a volumetric reduction of the pre-metering chamber by repositioning the wall unit causes to a lesser extent a volumetric enlargement of the main metering chamber. 
 
     
     
       12. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the liquid reservoir includes a pressure reservoir configured for storing liquids at a positive pressure; or 
 the dispenser includes a pressure-impingement device by which liquid from the liquid reservoir, for the purpose of feeding into the pre-metering chamber, is capable of being impinged with pressure. 
 
     
     
       13. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 1  further including:
 a storage unit which comprises the liquid reservoir; and 
 a discharge head and a fastening device, the discharge head being fastened to the storage unit by the fastening device, the discharge head comprising the pre-metering chamber, the main metering chamber, and the discharge opening. 
 
     
     
       14. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the discharge head has an adapter unit and a discharge unit; 
 the adapter unit includes the fastening device; 
 the discharge unit has the discharge opening; and 
 the adapter unit and the discharge unit are connected to one another by a force-fitting plug connection. 
 
     
     
       15. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the pre-metering chamber and/or the main metering chamber are delimited by two chamber components connected to one another in an axial direction, 
 the chamber components each comprising an outer cylindrical portion, the outer cylindrical portions being push-fitted into one another in an overlapping manner. 
 
     
     
       16. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the discharge head includes a basic housing which by the fastening device is connected in a locationally fixed manner to the liquid reservoir; 
 the discharge head includes an actuation unit movable in a linear manner in relation to the basic housing and which comprises an actuation handle; and 
 the discharge head includes a chamber unit movable in a linear manner in relation to the basic housing and the actuation unit, the chamber unit forming an external wall of the pre-metering chamber and/or of the main metering chamber. 
 
     
     
       17. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 1 ,
 further including a discharge valve in the discharge duct, the discharge valve opening as a function of pressure of liquid flowing in from the main metering chamber. 
 
     
     
       18. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 1 , having at least one of the following features:
 the liquid reservoir is filled with a liquid comprising one of the following: 
 a foodstuff liquid, a technical liquid, or a cosmetic liquid; and/or 
 the liquid reservoir has a volume of up to 1000 ml; and/or 
 a discharge volume of the metering device is determined by the repositioning capability of the repositionable wall of the main metering chamber and is between 0.01 ml and 5 ml; and/or 
 the intermediate valve comprises a valve body and a valve seat, the valve body being movable in a valve chamber, the valve seat being provided on an entry side in the valve chamber, and the valve chamber is reducible in size by an actuation handle; and/or 
 the repositionable walls are repositionable in an actuation direction of the dispenser. 
 
     
     
       19. An operating method for the dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 1 , said operating method comprising the following steps:
 opening the infeed valve between the liquid reservoir and the pre-metering chamber; 
 filling the pre-metering chamber by way of the infeed duct with pressurized liquid from the liquid reservoir, said pre-metering chamber, on account of a pressure-related repositioning of the repositionable wall of the pre-metering chamber, assuming a maximum volume of said pre-metering chamber, and the main metering chamber, on account of the repositioning of the repositionable wall of the main metering chamber caused by the repositioning of the repositionable wall of the pre-metering chamber, assumes a minimum volume of said main metering chamber; 
 conveying the liquid from the pre-metering chamber while repositioning the repositionable wall thereof through the intermediate duct into the main metering chamber until the main metering chamber assumes a maximum volume thereof and the pre-metering chamber assumes a minimum volume thereof; and 
 in the course of a renewed filling of the pre-metering chamber by the infeed duct with pressurized liquid from the liquid reservoir, repositioning yet again the repositionable walls of the pre-metering chamber and of the main metering chamber such that the volume of the main metering chamber is reduced and the liquid from the main metering chamber is discharged through the discharge opening. 
 
     
     
       20. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 8 , wherein the outlet valve has a valve body and a valve seat, the valve body in a closed state bearing on the valve seat and by repositioning an actuation handle the valve body is mechanically pushed away from the valve seat. 
     
     
       21. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 8 , wherein the outlet valve and the intermediate valve have a common valve body movable between two terminal positions, wherein each of the terminal positions corresponds to one valve seat. 
     
     
       22. The dispenser for discharging liquids according to  claim 13 , wherein the pre-metering chamber and/or the main metering chamber are delimited by two chamber components connected to one another in an axial direction, and at least one of the chamber components comprises an outer cylindrical portion surrounded by a basic housing of the discharge head such that a widening of the outer cylindrical portion is delimited so as to counteract separation of the chamber components. 
     
     
       23. A dispenser for discharging a liquid, said dispenser comprising:
 a liquid reservoir configured for storing liquid prior to discharge from said dispenser; 
 a discharge opening through which liquid is discharged into an environment of said dispenser; 
 a metering device for discharging a defined quantity of liquid during actuation of said dispenser, said metering device having an entry side in fluid communication with said liquid reservoir and an exit side in fluid communication with said discharge opening, said metering device comprising:
 a pre-metering chamber; 
 an infeed duct fluidly interconnecting said pre-metering chamber and said liquid reservoir; 
 a main metering chamber; 
 an intermediate duct fluidly interconnecting said main metering chamber and said pre-metering chamber; and 
 a discharge duct fluidly interconnecting said main metering chamber and said discharge opening; 
 
 a wall arrangement, said wall arrangement comprising a first wall disposed adjacent said main metering chamber and repositionable to vary a chamber volume thereof, and a second wall disposed adjacent said pre-metering chamber and repositionable to vary a chamber volume thereof, said first and second walls being operatively connected to one another such that a volumetric enlargement of the chamber volume of said pre-metering chamber causes a volumetric reduction of the chamber volume of said main metering chamber; and 
 an infeed valve having a closed state in which said infeed valve prevents, and an open state in which said infeed valve enables, inflow of liquid from said liquid reservoir into said pre-metering chamber. 
 
     
     
       24. The dispenser according to  claim 23 , further including an intermediate valve disposed in said intermediate duct, said intermediate valve having a closed state in which said intermediate valve prevents, and an opened state in which said intermediate valve enables, inflow of liquid from said pre-metering chamber and into said main metering chamber.